Devices equipped with interface functionality based on a specific standard, as typified by SATA, are becoming increasingly prevalent. With the increase in interface enabled devices based on a specific standard, users of such devices are now able to simply switch over between various devices compatible with a particular interface according to the application.
However, until now, a testing device has been generally utilized to simulate a counterpart device during interface functional testing performed in the manufacturing processes for such devices. However, management of testing devices in the manufacturing process has become complicated, due to the need to update versions and switch over testing devices when there are updates in the version of the interface standard or changes to the protocol subject to testing. There is also a tremendous cost burden due to the limited period of use of testing devices.
There is consequently a demand for an interface functional test that can be easily performed.
For example, a simple method is disclosed in JP-A-2009-271594 (counterpart U.S. publication is: U.S. 2009/0275291 A1) for testing respective interfaces in a storage device having a reception interface and a transmission interface. Such testing is performed in a physically connected state, in which the transmission and reception interfaces are electrically connected to each other, such as with a cable. A command transmitted by the transmission interface is received by the reception interface, and autonomous testing is performed of the interfaces by detecting reception of the command in the storage device.
However, JP-A-2009-271594 proposes to perform interface testing utilizing a general command relating to transmission and reception of data, and excludes Out Of Band (OOB) sequence in a SATA standard. An OOB sequence is utilized for initializing a particular block that performs communication according to the SATA standard, or for switching the particular block to a power-save state or returning from a power-save state. The OOB sequence is a chain of a sequence of transmission and reception of a multiple signal exchange between a host side and a device side. However, in devices provided with SATA interface functionality, there is a high chance of problems occurring in the operation of the OOB sequence.
Namely, simple operational testing of OOB sequence in the SATA standard, simple operational testing relating to transmission and reception of multiple signals for switching the communication state expressing the state of communication of blocks that executes transmission and reception, could not be achieved.